BLOCKED BY A FAT MAN.

NZ Truth, Issue 890, 16 December 1922, Page 10

BLOCKED BY A FAT MAN.

Only for a fat man, whose bulk clogged the road to escape through a sewer, 1600 irregulars would have escaped from Curragh prison one morning recently (states a Dublin exchange).

One of the greatest gaol deliveries In the history of Ireland, carefully planned and promising to be entirely successful, was frustrated by the hoftiness of one of the prisoners.

Disconnecting an old and unused drain leading from the prison to the Klver Liffey, the entire population ot the prison planned to escape. Forming themselves ln groups, the irregulars silently eluded the guards and crept through the drain to the river and swam to the other side to safety.

The one hundred and forty-eighth man got stuck midway m the drain and was unable to go ahead or get back. The others behind him wore unable to turn around on account of the Ktnallness of tho passage. After ono hundred and forty-seven of the prisoners had got awny the guards wero aroused by tho cries for help of those Imprisoned. Troops gavo chase after those who had already escaped and recaptured twentyseven.

It was n two-hour Job to releuso tho prisoner who unintentionally frustrated the plot for tho wholesale delivery of 1500 members of tho Republican Army who had boen captured m vurlous battles by the Free State forces.